Internet of Things Pushes Limits of Industry

Freelancer.com’s latest Fast 50 revealed that Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) related jobs have taken the spotlight as startups embrace the Internet of Things (IoT). “Things”, in IoT, refers to a wide array of devices, such as biochip transponders for pets and farm animals, pacemaker monitoring implants, self-driving automobiles, field operation devices similar to drones used for fire-fighting, or unmanned aircraft for surveying wildlife reserves. Current consumer grade examples include smart home appliances such as ovens, refrigerators, and thermostats that respond to smartphone commands from vast distances. The clamor for internet-enabled devices has caused a wildfire of newer, better ideas for connecting more and more home and office devices to smartphones.

As many employers drum up IoT innovations, the demand for STEM-related skills and specialties has reached new heights. Due to this development, the industry now faces a shortage of experts across the developed world and has started calling upon freelancers to cover the bases.

Freelancer.com CEO Matt Barrie has this to say on the subject: “This quarter’s Fast 50 confirms what I and many other industry leaders have known for years — the developed world has a STEM shortage, and our education systems are often years behind the cutting edge. We risk making our University system irrelevant in a world that is increasingly adopting online education platforms like Khan Academy, Udacity and Coursera. Faced with a lack of local technical talent, small businesses and startups are increasingly turning to platforms like Freelancer.com to find STEM workers.”